Re: Gyn: You can't please all of the people all of the time--long
From: Richard Chudacoff (rchudacoff@mylinuxisp.com)
Wed Jan 30 13:39:10 2008
Good idea Anna. From now on my patients will get an appointment between
9-noon, 2-5, with possible delays secondary to patient emergencies. First
come, first serve. Surgical consults will have priority. TIC
--
Richard Chudacoff, MD, FACOG
-----Original Message-----
From: ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net [mailto:ob-gyn-l@obgyn.net] On Behalf Of Meenan,
Anna
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 12:30 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L
Subject: Re: Gyn: You can't please all of the people all of the time--long
People will wait all day for the Cable guy but won't wait an hour for
a doctor, who obviously has a less predictable schedule. Go figure.
I would not allow her to reschedule if she tries. Let her start the
whole process over again and see how much time she could have saved
by waiting.
Anna Meenan, MD
>We all face similar issues--seeing more people for less time, getting
>paid less, consumerism, etc. We all try to do the best that we can, for
>the right reasons.
>
>Sometimes, for many valid reasons, things just don't work out. One
>never wants an upset or angry patient, and, in general, the customer is
>always right.
>
>That said:
>
>48 YO P2002 referred by a local radiologist, whom she saw for a possible
>embolization.
>
>The patient was first seen by a local gyn with AUB and a 7 cm. ovary,
>as well as fibroids. According to the patient, her exam was difficult
>and the gyn (a good doc)couldn't access her cervix for a biopsy, and
>wanted her to see a gyn onc ASAP because of the ovary.
>
>Next, the radiologist reviewed her scan, and did another, and felt that
>the ovary was OK, and that she had distorting fibroids. Because of pain
>and abnormal bleeding her recommended that she be evaluated by a gyn
>before consideration of embolization.
>
>On my exam she had an enlarged, posterior uterus and I could not
>visualize her very anterior cervix due to distortion and pain. I
>recommended lapscope/h-scope to assess her bleeding and situation.
>
>A month or two later, she self referred to a gyn onc, who agreed and
>sent her back. She had another ultrasound done by another good
>radiologist who pretty much had similar findings and "cleared" the ovary
>per se. Somewhere in there, a Ca 125 was OK.
>
>Surgery was planned.
>
>Today, I was swamped (every Ob and every annual this AM had extra stuff
>to discuss), and by the time I came around for her 11:30 appointment, it
>was 12:30, which is a bit later than normal for me (30 minutes, maybe 45
>on bad days). Frankly, she was to see me at 11:30, and then go to the
>hopsital for her preop there at 1 PM, so she was going to be occupied
>from 11:30 to 2, give or take, and was told that when the arrangments
>were made.
>
>She starting fussing around 11:35, and despite the staff telling her the
>timeframe, she was unhappy. When she finally got brought back and was
>asked to undress (I routinely examine preops unless I've done so
>recently), she balked. Eventually, she simply dressed and cancelled.
>
>Clearly, I was later than I should have been, and her time was wasted,
>though she knew that she would be busy from 11:30 to around 2. Clearly,
>she has shopped doctors and situations.
>
>So. . .I am at fault, and in my earlier years, would lament this and
>be upset. While I'm not happy, I am going to file this in the "You
>can't please all the people all of the time" file.
>
>Thanks for letting me vent--cheaper than therapy :).
>
>Garry
>
>--
>Garry E. Siegel, M.D.
>Private Practice
>Roswell, GA
